Indicating system for telephone pay-stations.



A. J. SEYMOUR.

INDICATING SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE PAY STATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I. 1910. RENEWED OCT. 2I. 1915.

1,166,090. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

A. J. SEYMOUR.

INDICATING SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE PAY STATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, I910. RENEWED OCT. 21, 19l5.

Patented Dec, 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llNiili tE %ATE% "PATENT @lhllllfi t ARTHUR JOSEPH SEYMOUR,'OFIvIINNEAPOLIS, llIINIlESOTA.

INDICATING SYSTEM FOR TELEPHGNE PAY-STATIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

yatented Dec. 2%, 1915.

Application filed November 1, 1910, Serial No. 590,166. Renewed October2 1915. Serial No. 57,188.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Josnri-r SEY- MOUR, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin andState of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement inIndicating Systems for Telephone Pay-Stations, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to telephone sys-' tems, and particularly to thoseemploying coin collecting devices at the subscribers stations.

It has for its object the conveying of a definite and unmistakablesignal to the operator at the central office that will indicate to her,not only the fact that a coin has been deposited by the person desiringto make a call, but also definite information as to the denomination ofthe coin so deposited.

In those telephone paystation equipments which are adapted to receivecoins of different denominations according to the character of theconnection which the telephone user is to pay for, the ordinary practiceis to so arrange the substation equipment that the coins, when depositedat the request of the operator, will make certain characteristic soundswhich are conveyed telephonically over the line to the listeningoperator. These sounds are produced at the substation by gongs, whichare struck either directly by the fall of the coin into the till or as aresult of the operation of some mechanism manipulated by the telephoneuser in the act of depositing the coin. The sounds so produced may bemadeintelligible to the operator either by one or more strokes on a sinle gong, or by single strikes on different toned gongs. In any event,this sound transmission method'is found to be subject to seriousobjection, due to the fact that the operator is not always able toproperly interpret the signals and may, therefore, make mistakes whichwill result in loss of revenue to he operating company, or indissatisfaction of the patron, or both. Another objection to the audiblesignal method of operation is that unscrupulous persons sometimes devisemeans of sounding the gongs without depositing the coins.

It is the primary object of my invention to avoid these objectionablefeatures, and for that reason I convey to the operator the necessaryinformation by means of visible rather than audible signals.

I arrange in front of the operator a plurality of visible signals,preferably lamps, and I provide means for selectively displaying thesesignals; the selection being automatically accomplished and determinedin all cases by the denomination of the coin that is deposited at thepaystation. In this selective function the operator plays no part, theselective apparatus at the central office standing ready, when connectedwith a telephone line, to be operated by the act of depositing a coin inthe paystation till. I also provide means for guarding against theoperation of the indicating signals at the central ch me in any but alegitimate way by the patron.

Broadly speaking, I associate with each operators equipment at thecentral oihce a step-by-step selective device adapted to be actuated bycurrent impulses sent over the line under the control of the coincollecting device at the subscribers station. Associated with thisstep-bystep device I provide a plurality of visible signals which may beselectively displayed under control oi this mechanism. 1 preferablyprovide means under the control of the operator for placing thisselecting mechanism and its associated signals under the control of anyone of I the lines terminating before that operator, and at thesubstation I provide coin controlled apparatus of such a nature that thedeposit of a coin of a certain denomination will result in the sendingof a certain predetel-mined number oii impulses over the line for theactuation of the selecting device there.

Referring to the figures which accompany and form a part of thisspecification, Figure l is a diagram of the circuit connections; Figs.2, 3 and i are details of the coin collecting apparatus at the telephonepaystation.

Paystation mechanisms having a plurality of slots for receiving coins ofthe various denominations are well known in the art. In one well knownform of these the coin, after being dropped into the appropriate slot,falls through a chute into a carrier mounted on a shaft, which shaft isadapted to be rotated through a portion of a revolution by the telephoneuser who is making the payment. When so rotated, the coin resting inthis carrier impinges in its movement against a lever, and thusaccomplishes the desired signaling purpose, after which,

due to the further rotation of the carrier, it falls out of the carrierand into the till. In my improved substation mechanism, I employ thisgeneral form of carrier, as is indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. On the shaft1 there are mounted carriers 2, 8, A and 5 adapted to receive coins ofvarious denominations, such as 2, 3, 4; and 5. 6 is the lever projectingfrom the side of the mechanism for enabling the telephone user to rotatethe shaft. Near it and parallel to the shaft 1 is mounted the shaft 7carrying a contact actuating ratchet wheel 8 loosely mounted thereon. FiXed on this shaft 7 are four levers, such as 9, of which one only isshown. These levers normally lie in the paths of the respective coins 2,3, i or 5, which may occupy any one of the carriers, the arrangementbeing such that when the shaft 1 is rotated by means of the lever 6 noneof the levers 9' will be moved unless there is a coin in one of thecarriers. If a coin is in one of the carriers, as, for instance, thecoin 5 in the the coin will engage the lever and rotate the shaft 7through a portion of a revolution. The various levers 9 differ slightlyin form and in their angular disposition on the shaft 7, so that theshaft 7 will be rotated a different amount by each one of the leverswhen engaged by the proper coin in the corresponding carrier. \Vhen thecoin passes beyond the lever 9 that lever and the shaft 7 return totheir normal positions under the action of any suitable form of spring,after which the coin drops from the carrier, and the shaft 1 is alsoreturned to its normal position, when the lever 6 is released by theaction of a spring, such as that shown at 10. The ratchet wheel 8, ashas been said, is carried loosely on the shaft 7. Rigidly mounted onthat shaft adjacent to the ratchet wheel is a lever 11, carrying a pawl12 having a spring 13 adapted at all times to press the pawl 12 againstthe periphery of the ratchet wheel. As a result of this, the ratchetwheel 8 partakes of all of the rotary movements of the shaft 7 that areimparted to it by the engagement of a coin against one of the levers 9,but this wheel does not partake of the return movement of the shaft 7under the influence of the spring, since there is no tendency to driveit, and since, also, its movement in that direction is prevented, aswill be pointed out.

Mounted adjacent to the ratchet wheel 8 are two contact springs 14 and15, which are normally out of engagement. One of these springs 14:carries a cam 1A, which rides on the periphery of the ratchet wheel insuch manner as to cause the spring 14- to beraised into engagement withthe spring 15 for the passage of every tooth when the wheel is revolvedby the deposit of a coin.

This cam 14 also forms a detent which precarrier 5 of Fig. A,

vents the revolution of the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction.

The respective coin carriers 2, 3, 4. and 5 may be adapted to receive,respectively, United States dimes, nickels, quarters and half dollars,in the order mentionech The lever 9 on the shaft 7 which liesopposit'ethe carrier 3 is so disposed with respectto the carrier thatwhen a nickel in that carrier is made to engage the lever9 it will causethe rotation of the shaft 7 through such an are as will cause one toothon the wheel 8 topass under the cam 1% on the spring 14. Similarly, thelever 9, lying opposite the carrier 2, will, when engaged by a dime,rotate the shaft 7 an amount corresponding to two notches of the ratchetwheel. Quarter dollars or half dollars will likewise, by

engaging their respective levers 9, rotate the shaft 7 three notches andfour notches, respectively. It is in this way that the deposit of a.coin of a particular denomination in the proper slot and the rotation ofthe carrier shaft will cause the ratchet wheel 8 to move a predeterminednumber of notches corresponding to the amount deposited and will thuscause the spring 14 to engage the spring 15 a corresponding number oftimes.

Extending from the shaft 1, as shown in Fig. i, there is a projection1'. When the shaft 1 and lever 6 are in their normal positions, thisprojection rests against a spring 16 mounted adjacent to the shaft insuch way as to press it against another spring 17 alongside of it. Assoon as the shaft is moved from its normal position, however, theprojection 1 rides out of engagement with the spring 16 and permits itto break contact with spring 17.

Obviously a. great many modifications may be made with respect to: themechanism at the telephone paystation which I have illustrated withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. The broad feature of thissubstation mechanism which I believe to be new is the arrangement bywhich any coin which is deposited into the till of the paystationmechanism will, as a result of its passage to the till, make and breakan electrical circuit a predetermined number of times, the number alwaysbeing determined by the denomination of the coin deposited.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have indicated in its upper portion a circuitarrangement of an ordinary common battery telephone sub station to whichI have added the circuit and contact arrangements which my inventioninvolves. As will be seen, the springs 14 and 15, which are adapted tobe operated a predetermined number of times corresponding to thedepositing of a given coin in the till, are connected in a circuitextending between one limb of the line and ground, this circuit normallybeing held open by the fact that these springs normally do not izoengage each other. The springs 16 and 17 are included serially in onelimb of the line i so as to normally hold that limb closed, but

to open it Whenever the pay station lever 6 is moved out of itsnormalposition. The action of the hook switch at the subscribers stationis the usual one in common battery practice, the hook holdingthemetallic circuit of the lineopen to directcurrent while the receiver isupon it, and closed through the talking apparatus while the receiver isremoved for use.

At the central office the two limbs 18 and 19 of the subscribers lineare shown terminating in a common form of spring jack, this jacknormally maintaining the connection of the limb 18 through the coil of aline relay to the ungrounded pole of the common battery, and of the limb19 to ground. This line relay controls in the ordinary manner the localcircuit containing" a line lamp or other visual signal. The arrangementof the line circuit at the central oflice forms no part of my invention,and I have shown it in the simplest form to be found in common practice.It is understood, however, that my system is equally well adaptable tomultiple switchboards, or, in fact, to any form of switchboardarrangements that are now in common use.

I have shown only a portion of the oper ators cord circuit by which theoperator may connect lines for conversation. The plug 20, consisting ofthe tip contact 20 and the sleeve contact 20, is to be taken as any oneof the plugs used for connecting subscribers lines. A key 21 is providedfor each cord circuit, and this, when operated, breaksthe connectionbetween the corresponding plug 20 and the balance of the cord circuitleading to the corresponding plug of the pair. As the means associatedwith the cord circuit by which talking current is furnished to thesubscriber during a connection and by which the operator is enabled tosupervise the connection are in no way special to my invention, theyhave not been illustrated.

When the plug 20 is inserted into the jack of aline and the key 21 isthrown, it is evident that wire 22 will be connected through the tipside of the cord to the limb 18 of the line. The other end of this wire22 connects with the winding of the relay 23, the other terminal ofwhich is connected with the battery. The relay 23 is thereforeresponsive to the impulses which may flow through the limb 18 of theline, due to the opening and closing of thecontact springs 14: and 15 ofthe pay station device upon the deposit of a coin. The local circuit ofthe relay 23 includes the motor magnet 24:, and this magnet, through themedium of its armature and a pawl 25, operates to step the ratchet wheel26 one notch in a clockwise direction for each time that its armature isattracted. By this means the arm 27 is caused to engage the contacts 28successively, and to stop on any one of the contacts as determined bythe number of impulses sent. The ratchet wheel 26 and the arm carried byit is provided with any sort of a restoring spring which will restorethe wheel and the arm to their normal positions as determined by thestop 29 when the wheel is not engaged by either the driving pawl or theholding pawl 30. This holding pawl 30 is normally pulled by a spring outof engagement with the teeth of the wheel 26, but the magnet 31 is sodisposed, however, with respect to the pawl 30 that when energized itwill tend to hold the pawl 30 into engagement with the ratchet wheelteeth. The pawl 30 acts as a holding pawl, therefore, only when themagnet 31 is energized. The magnet 31 is included in a wire 32 leadingfrom the live side of the battery to an auxiliary pair of contacts 33 onthe key 21, and when this key is moved by the operator so as to bringthe selecting device at the central ofiice into connectionwith theindividual cord circuit and line, the magnet 31 is by the same movementenergized so as to enable the pawl 30 to exert its holding function.

Each of the contacts 28 with which the rotary arm 27 of the selector isadapted to register is connected with the winding of a slow acting relay34:, the other terminal of which winding is grounded. As the arm 27 isconnected with the live side of the central ofiice battery, it followsthat the stopping of this arm on any one of the contacts 28 brings aboutthe necessary conditions to energize the corresponding relay 84-. Thefact that relays 34 are slow acting prevents their drawing up theirarmatures by the mere passage of the arm 27 over the contacts 28, sincethis passage is so rapid as not to allow suflicient time for the fullenergization of these relays. When, however, the arm 27 stops on any oneof the contacts 28, then the corthereby bringing the signal selectingapparatus shown at the lower portion of Fig. 1 under. the control of theline. The patron deposits the coin and the first movement of the lever 6opens the springs 16 and 17 and therefore breaks the connection betweenthe two sides of the line at the sub-station. The

act of moving the lever 6 in depositing the coin causes the spring 14:to engage the such as once for a nickel, twice for a dime,

three times for a quarter and four times for a half dollar. Assumingthat a half dollar has been deposited, the limb 18 of the line will havebeen connected four times with the ground through the springs 14: and15. This will allow four impulses of current to flow over that limb ofthe line through the winding of the relay 23, which in turn will causethe motor magnet 2% to be energized four times, and thus step theratchet wheel 26 around four steps, bringing the arm 27 into engagementwith the fourth one of the contacts 28. Meanwhile the relay 31 will havebeen energized by the operation of the key 21, thus permitting the pawl30 to act as a holding pawl to prevent the re turn movement of theratchet wheel. When the arm 27 comes to rest on the fourth contact 28the lower one of the relays 34, will be energized, and by the attractionof its armature will cause the lamp 38 to be lighted, thus indicating tothe operator that a fifty cent piece has been deposited. In like mannerthe depositing of a nickel would have caused the lamp 35 to be lighted,of a dime the lamp 36, and of a quarter the lamp 87. The operator seeingthe lamp 38 light knows that the proper coin has been deposited, and shethen releases the key 21, which breaks the pair of contacts 33 anddeenergizes the magnet 31. This permits the holding pawl 30 to bewithdrawn and the ratchet wheel 26 and its arm 27 are brought back tonormal position by the action of a suitable spring or gravity. Iheentire selective device is then available for use in connection with anyother pair of cords and with any other line to register the deposit of acoin at any other station.

Obviously many modifications may be made in the arrangement of thecentral office apparatus withoutdeparting from the spirit of myinvention. Instead of employing lamps for indicating the deposit of thecoin, I may employ any of the well known visual signals. The broadfeature of my invention in this respect, which I believe to be new, isthe placing at the central oilice of aselecting device adapted tocontrol the display of signals so arranged as to break it under thecontrol of any subscribers line during the time of collecting pay for aconnection, this device being responsive to impulses sent automaticallyfrom the paystation apparatus at the subscribers station as determinedby the deposit of the proper coin or token.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an indicating system for telephone exchanges, an automaticselecting switch at a central otlice; a plurality of visual signalscontrolled thereby; a coin-collecting device at the subscribers station;a ratchet in said coin-collecting device; contact springs controlled bysaid ratchet, and means controlled by the deposit of a coin for causingsaid ratchet to move a predetermined number of steps and thereby operatesaid contact springs to control said automatic selecting switch,substantially as described.

In an indicating system for telephone exchanges, a coin-collectingdevice at the subscribers station containing a ratchet; contact springscontrolled by said ratchet; means controlled by the. deposit ofa coinfor causing said ratchet to move a predetermined number of steps,depending upon the denomination of the coin, and to thereby operate saidcontact springs to send a predetermined number of impulses over thesubscribers line to the central otlice; a plurality of signals at thecentral oifice, and an automatic selecting switch controlled by saidimpulses to select and operate a given one of said signals. 7

3. In an indicating system for telephone exchanges, an automaticselecting switch at the central oflice operated by impulses of current;a plurality of signals selectively controlled thereby; a coin-collectingdevice at the subscribers station containing a ratchet wheel; a pair ofcontact springs controlled by said ratchet wheel; means controlled bythe deposit of a coin for causing said ratchet wheel torotate apredetermined number of steps according to the denomination of the coin,and thereby operate said contact springs to send a predetermined numberof impulses over the subscribers line for moving said automatic switchto select one of said signals.

Signed by me at Minneapolis, county of. Hennepin, and State ofMinnesota, in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR JOSEPH SEYMOUR.

Witnesses \V. H. ROLL, IV. C. Lnsrroo.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents'each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

